Automatic car-coupling.



No. 643,860. Patented Feb. 20, I900. F. o. BLANKENMEISTER.

AUTOMATIC GAR COUPLING. (Apgliemon filed July 8, 1899. (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet l.

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' F. U. BLANKENMEISTER.

I AUTOMATIC GAR COUPLING.

(Application filed July 8, 1899.): (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 m: worms PETE! co. PNOTO-LITHQ, wuumomu, n. c

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

- FERDINAND 0. BLANKENMEISTER, or NEW YORK, N. YJ, ASSIGNOR or THREE-FOURTHS TO JOHN BRAUN AND THE E. J. BROOKS & COM- PANY, OE SAME PLACE.

AUTO MATIC CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 643,860, dated February 20, 1900.

Application filed July 8, 1899. Serial No. 723,204. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FERDINAND 0. BLANK- ENMEISTER, a subject of the Emperor of Gerstandard pins and links.

The present invention consists in an improved car-coupling of this general description and in certain novel combinations of parts hereinafter set forth and claimed.

The distinguishing objects of this invention are to adapt a spring pin-support to be effectively acted on by the link in coupling on curves or at any angle at which the link may enter the draw-head and in a gradual manner and at the same time to adapt the draw-head to withstand all strains to which it may be subjected, as'in starting and stopping trains, and to adapt the members of the spring pin-support to be reinforced to any required extent and to be readily'detached individually for renewal or repair, to prevent the clogging of the draw-head bydust or snow, to render the improved coupler suitable for either passenger or freight cars, and to adapt the same to be used in connection with the draw-bar or spring attachments most commonly used.

Two sheets of drawings accompany this specification as part thereof.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a side elevation of the improved coupling uncoupled, together with spring attachments suitable for freightcars. Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view of the draw-head as in Fig. 1 enlarged one diameter.

on the line 3 3, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a sectional plan view similar to Fig. 2 with the parts in Fig. 3 represents a vertical cross-section.

ted or broken away. Fig. 7 is an edge view of the one-part draw-head and draw-bar detached. Fig. 8 is a perspective View, Fig. 9 an elevation, partly in section, Fig. 10 face and edge views, and Fig. 11 a face view, of parts hereinafter more particularly described; and Fig. 12 is a sectional side view illustrating a modification.

Like letters and numbers refer to like part in all the figures.

A pair of spring pin-supports A and B of peculiar construction operate within a fiat recessed draw-head O and coact with a standard pin D and a standard link E and with a draw-bar or spring attachment, such as is represented in Figs. 1 and 6 and by Figs. 7 to 12, inclusive.

Forthe reception of the pin D the draw head 0 is constructed with a dome 1 and a hole 2,extending vertically through the domed top and through the bottom of the draw-head, and for the reception of the link E the drawhead is constructed with a flaring mouth 3 and a central longitudinal link-abutment 4. The latter extends rearwardly behind the draw-head proper, and the pin-supports A and B are removably attached to its sides by tap-bolts 5.

Each of the pin-supports A and B is preferably and convenientlyconstructed like the springs of locomotives,withits shank or spring proper reinforced by superposed springleaves 6 and a keeper 7. Said shank and superposed leaves are normally fiat, as in Fig. 2, and said tap-bolts 5 extend through the same into said link-abutment 4, 1mmedi ately in front of the concave front end of this abutment a horizontal projection 8 on each pin-support extends normally beneath the elevated pin, as in Fig. 3, and is notched at its inner edge so as to clear the pin when the pair of projections are separated a given distance less than the diameter of the pin. In front of the projections 8 each pin-support is thickened and curved, as at 9, with reference to effective coaction with the entering link in any direction it may possibly advance into the draw-head, the extremity of this front portion 9 of each pin-support being preferably and conveniently at the extreme front of the mouth 3 and the pair flaring toward this plane, as in Fig. 2.

WVhen a link E enters the draw-head C, it engages necessarily with the front portions 9 of both pin-supports A and B, and as a very slight movement of either pin-support causes the notch of its projection 8 to clear the pin D the release of the pin, as in Figs. 4 and 5, as soon as the end of the link passes beneath it is insured. At the same time the requisite strain on the pin-supports is gradually exerted, beginning, preferably and conveniently, as soon as the link enters the drawhead, which is of great importance in winter and at all times reduces wear and tear.

The side walls 10, Figs. 1 to 5 and Fig. 7, of the draw-head are short as compared with the length over all, including said springabutment 4, and the rear end of the drawhead proper as thus defined is open between said abutment and said side walls, as shown at 11 in Figs. 2 to 5, for the free escape of dust or snow from between the side walls and the respective pin-supports, the latter being so constructed as to be normally and ordinarilyout of contact with both side walls even when the link E is in place. (See Fig. 4.) For the free escape of any dust or snow that may enter the mouth 3 between the pin-supports an opening 12, Figs. 2 and 4, is formed in the bottom of the draw-head immediately in front of the link-abutment 4 and behind the hole 2, that is occupied by the pin. The link-abutment extends rearwardly to a pair of shoulders 13, Figs. 2 and 4, which assist to protect the bolts 5 against excessive strain. From this point in Figs. 1 to 6 a cylindrical draw-bar 14, integral with said abutment and with the draw-head as a whole, extends rearwardly as part of the spring attachment. Alternatively the draw-head may be connected with the draw-bar 14 by a suitable joint 15, as in Fig. 12. The draw-bar 14 in either case is constructed with a tight collar 0 to coact with a buffer-spring F, Fig. 6, or with a pair of springs in attachments for passenger-cars and with a rear end 0 to which a cross-head G (shown detached by Fig. 11) is bolted.

The draw-head O is supported beneath at the rear ends of the pin-supports A and B, or thereabout, by an iron bridge-piece H, Fig. 8, and in rear of this point by two pairs of guide-blocks I, Fig. 9, and by a rear crossbar J, Fig. 10, all of them securely bolted to the wooden platform K, Fig. 1, and subjacent timbers L, Figs. 1 and 6. As these details form no part of the present invention, further description is deemed unnecessary.

A stop 16, Fig. 1, bolted to the end face of the platform K, coacts with the pin D, as in that figure, to limit its withdrawal and to prevent its accidental escape by jolting.

The details of the spring attachment may be changed at will to suit the requirements of different railway owners, and other like modifications will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art.

Having thus described said improvement, I claim as my invention and desire to patent under this specification 1. An improved automatic car coupling comprising a flat recessed draw-head having a flaring mouth, side walls extending rearwardly a sufficient distance, and a central longitudinal link-abutment integral therewith, and a pair of spring pin-supports reinovably attached to the sides of said abutment behind said side walls, and constructed with lateral projections notched at their inner edges and normally in contact with each other beneath the pin, and with flaring outer ends extending to the face of the draw-head, within said month, between said side walls but out of contact therewith, to coact with a standard pin and link.

2. The combination with a pair of pinsupports having reinforced spring-shanks notched pin-engaging projections and flaring outer ends of a recessed draw-head having a flaring mouth, a central longitudinal linkabutment, and short side walls flanking the front ends of said pin-supports, and means for detachably fastening said pin-supports individually to the sides of said link-abutment behind said side walls.

3. The combination with a pair of spring pin-supports of a suitably-recessed draw-head having a flaring month, a central longitudinal link-abutment to whose sides said pinsupports are attached, and short side walls flanking the front ends of said pin-supports, behind which side walls the rear end of the draw-head is open for the free escape of dust or snow.

4. The combination with a pin and link and With a pair of spring pin-supports of a suitably-recessed draw-head having a central longitudinal link-abutment to whose sides said pin-supports are attached, short side walls flanking the front ends of said pin-supports, the customary hole extending through top and bottom to receive the pin, and openings behind said side walls and through the bottom between the pin-supports and behind the hole occupied by the pin, for the free escape of dust or snow.

5. The combination with a pin and link and with a pair of spring pin-supports of a suitably-recessed draw-head having a flaring mouth, a central longitudinal link-abutment to whose sides said pin-supports are attached, short side walls flanking the front ends of said pin-supports, and a draw-bar, integral with said link-abutment, havinga fast springengaging collar, substantially as hereinbefore specified.

H. L. 0. WEEKS, CHARLES BRAUN. 

